Agra (Uttar Pradesh): Raised in 1773, the President's Bodyguard (PBG), the senior-most regiment of the Indian Army, has completed 250 years. On the occasion, the regiment carried out training exercises at Malpura drop zone in Agra on September 29 and 30 with all the paratroopers undergoing a low-altitude, static-line jump.
A detachment of the President's Bodyguard regiment remains permanently deployed at Siachen Glacier, the world's highest battlefield. "President's Bodyguard is the senior-most Regiment of Indian Army. This year the President's Bodyguard will be celebrating the 250th year of its raising. Over the next year, a large number of professional and ceremonial events are planned," Commandant of President's Bodyguard Col Anup Tiwari said.
The President's Bodyguard, raised by Governor-General Warren Hastings in September 1773, is the senior-most regiment in the order of precedence of the units of the Indian Army. It is a regiment carrying out ceremonial duties for the President of India. The personnel are excellent equestrians, capable tank men and paratroopers.
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It is equipped as a mounted unit, with horses for ceremonies at the presidential palace and BTR-80 vehicles for use in combat. The personnel of the regiment are also trained as paratroopers and nominally are expected to lead in airborne assaults in the role of pathfinders. The regiment is the successor of the Governor General's Bodyguard of the British Raj.
The regiment saw action in Operation Ablaze in 1965 in the western theatre, with the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka in 1988-1989 and with the Indian United Nations Contingents in Somalia, Angola and Sierra Leone. After Independence, the President's Bodyguards have seen action in several areas. In 1962, its armoured cars were deployed for the defence of Ladakh's Chushul at heights of over 14,000 feet.
The Bodyguard was the only corps of cavalry in the Bengal Presidency until 1777 when two regiments of cavalry were transferred to the Company by the Nawab of Oudh. Both the regiments were raised in 1776.
